Runaway
by AcrossTheRiverNotDown
Summary: 17 year old Beck works as a waiter. 16 year old Jade lives in a foster home. This is the story of how they met, and also how they fell in love along the way.
1. I promise

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious.**_

_**You can listen to Rihanna's song; "Where Have You Been" while you read.**_

* * *

_**Beck's POV:**_

"Hey, Beck," my dad calls out from across the kitchen area of his restaurant and motions for me to go over to him.

"Coming," I call back, pinning up an order someone just handed me for table 17 before running over to him.

"Can you take those to the dumpster out back?" he asks, pointing to a bunch of garbage bags filled with scraps of food.

"Sure," I tell him, though, I'm not too thrilled about this task.

I pick up two of the many bags; one for each hand and push open the exit door.

Slipping off a shoe to prop the door open, I wedge it under the door before proceeding with garbage duties; tossing the bags into the huge metallic dumpster in the alley behind the restaurant.

Pulling my jacket tighter around me I walk back inside, grabbing another two bags and walking outside again.

After another three trips I return inside and tell my dad, "I finished."

He turns to me and replies "Go make sure none will fall out, and close the lid so no squirrels can get into the food."

I nod and make my way out again, this time noticing something beside the dumpster, it's a person, all dressed in black but even though it's windy it looks like it is… shivering?

"Hello?" I ask, poking the person's shoulder.

The girl's head flies up, her blue eyes wide and filled with fright as she scoots back, closer to the wall.

Her black hair is dishevelled and her clothes look a mess.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you," I tell her soothingly.

I squat down and she hugs her legs closer to her chest, though she looks no more than a year younger than I.

"What are you doing here?"

I don't get an answer; she only shakes her head and buries it in her knees.

"My name's Beck," I try to start conversation, while removing my jacket.

I hand it to her and she looks up questioningly.

"You can put it on, you look cold."

She wraps it around her shoulders as I take a seat beside her.

"Not the talking type, are you?" I ask.

She shakes her head.

"Well then I guess I'll never find out why you're sitting here behind my dad's restaurant instead of at home with your parents."

She turns to look at me and opens her mouth; a squeak comes out so she closes it and clears her throat.

"I don't have parents."

"So you live on the streets?"

"No. I lived in a foster home."

"Lived?"

"I ran away."

"Ah, I see… and where were you planning on staying?"

She shrugs and a small smile appears on her face, "I didn't think it through that far."

I give a little chuckle and offer a friendly smile.

"What's your name?"

"Jade," she responds after a couple of minutes.

"Come on, let's take a walk," I tell her, standing up and offering a hand to help her up.

She looks at me questioningly again, most likely debating whether or not she should trust me.

"We can just go for coffee," I bargain.

With that she accepts my hand, and I realize I've found at least one of her weaknesses.

I quickly grab my shoe from the door and let it swing closed, besides it's fine if I leave; my shift ends in five minutes anyways.

She keeps to herself for most of the walk, letting her arms droop by the sides of her tattered black clothing.

When we enter the coffee shop, there are only two other couples there, so at least it isn't crowded.

"What do you want in your coffee?"

"Black, two sugars," she answers almost immediately, sticking by my side.

The lady behind the counter pours our coffee while telling me the total.

I pull out my wallet and hand her a ten dollar bill.

I receive two dollars in change.

"The price of coffee these days," I think to myself as I hand Jade her cup.

We walk over to a table near the window in the back.

"So, do you mind me asking why you ran away?" I ask.

She shakes her head and looks down at her coffee cup, picking at the lid.

"It gets tiring, doing the same thing everyday. Wake up, eat, go back to my room, read, help with the little kids, wait till dinner, eat, go to bed," she tells me, looking into my eyes, hers begging to be understood.

"You don't go to school?"

She shakes her head again, "there are no funds; no money for me to go."

She must see the concerned look on my face because she continues, "it's fine, I get what I need to know from books."

I nod, understanding.

"You know, you're going to have to go back," I tell her honestly.

She sighs and looks out the window before answering, "I wish I didn't."

"What if I were to come visit you?"

She whips her head from the window, towards me.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they let visitors in, right?" I ask, racking my brain to think back to the time I read a book about an orphanage.

"The few that come, yes."

"So we make a deal. You go back, promise not to run away again, and I promise I'll come visit you everyday after I finish school."

She thinks it over for a minute and then briefly smiles, "I'd love that."

I smile at her before taking a sip of my coffee.

"I'm going to be in so much shit for leaving," she tells me.

"I'll walk you back," I tell her, standing up with coffee cup still in hand, "you can blame me."

She stands up and wraps her arms around me before picking up her coffee too and bringing it to her lips.

* * *

After the walk back to her temporary home, we walk through the big wooden doors.

"Oh, Jade! Thank god you're back. Where have you been? You missed dinner!" a small plump lady asks as she runs up to us.

"Sorry ma'am," I step in, "it's my fault; we went out for some coffee. Sorry for the trouble."

She looks me up and down but then starts staring at my hair.

"It's okay, handsome boy with nice hair. We're just glad to have her back," the woman answers before running off.

I see Jade roll her eyes in my peripheral vision and smile.

"Well, I'm gonna get going, but I'll be back here tomorrow, okay?"

She nods, the smile returning as she hands me my jacket.

"See ya," she calls out as I start for the doors.

I give a brief wave; glad I made a new friend, before exiting the house and starting my walk home.

I can't wait until tomorrow.


	2. I didn't think you'd come

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious.**_

* * *

_**Beck's POV:**_

I just enter my own home when my father practically appears out of nowhere and starts giving me a speech.

"Beck Oliver, where were you? You left five minutes before your shift ended! This is why you can't be a waiter yet; you can't be trusted. Here I was, thinking you were beginning to be responsible," my dad rants as I enter my house.

"Sorry. I went to visit a friend," is my pathetic reply.

"You're grounded. You can have your weekly pay but your restaurant duties are over for the week."

"Fine," I answer, removing my shoes and making my upstairs.

To be honest I'm not really as angry as I should be, I haven't had any time off of work for a while.

I sit in my room and play on my phone until dinner, but I don't talk to my father once all night.

I wonder what Jade's doing right now.

* * *

_**Jade's POV:**_

After Beck left I went to my room and sit on the bottom bunk of the bunk bed I share with my friend Cat.

Speaking of Cat; here she comes.

"Hey Jadey! Why'd you leave?"

"I left because I wanted to run away."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you decided to come back," she replies, throwing her arms around my torso.

"Me too," I tell her, rubbing her back.

Even though we're the same age she doesn't act like it most of the time, she acts like a seven year old.

It's not her fault; she's bipolar, so you can't blame her.

She sits down beside me and we talk about Beck, sitting beside a dumpster, and about his promise to come visit everyday.

"Yay! I can't wait to meet him!" Cat says smiling and clapping.

"I wouldn't hold my breath. We'll see if he really comes tomorrow," I tell her, trying to sound strong when inside I'm praying he'll keep his promise.

* * *

_**The next day…**_

_**Beck's POV:**_

I've never been so anxious for school to end before; I'm in such a good mood today.

"Beck!" my friend Tori cries out, snapping her fingers in front of my face, snapping me out of my daze.

"What's with you today? You've been smiling since you showed up this morning," she asks, smiling as she pokes at her salad.

"Yeah man, what's got you so full of sunshine?" my other friend; Andre asks.

"Well, I met this girl," I start but I'm interrupted by the chorused "Ohhh," of my friends.

"What?" I ask, genuinely confused.

"You found yourself a mate," Andre replies.

"Beck's got a girlfriend," Tori singsongs.

"No, that's not it at all," I tell them, "She's not my girlfriend, she's just a girl I met who ran away from home and now we're friends. Plus, I told her I'd go visit her after school today, and tomorrow, and well everyday."

"But you guys are totally mutual and just friends," Andre says with sarcasm.

"It's true!" I cry out, "No sarcasm needed."

"Sure," they reply in unison as the bell rings; signalling that lunch is over.

Tori gives me a knowing look before following Andre back into school.

They're obviously crazy.

Jade and I just met; we're just friends.

That doesn't mean I'm not still excited to visit her later.

* * *

_**Later...**_

When Sicowitz; our acting teacher, dismisses us early from last period I'm the first one out of the room.

I quickly gather my things from my locker, putting the necessary binders into my schoolbag before locking my locker and exiting the school.

Looking both ways I cross the street and cut through a shortcut I know, that leads just streets away from the foster home.

When I finally get there and walk through the open wooden doors I stop at the front area.

I stand there for a moment before the same plump woman from yesterday approaches me.

"Hello again handsome boy. Can I help you?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm here to visit Jade. Do you know where I can find her?"

"I sure do! Just walk straight down that hallway, it's the last door on the right," she replies, pointing to the hallway.

"Thanks," I tell her before proceeding down the hallway.

As I pass the rooms I look in the ones with open doors, some kids are sleeping and others look back at me as I walk by.

I finally get to the last door on the right, it's closed.

I knock; two taps on the door and seconds later a girl with red hair opens it.

She looks about the same age as Jade.

"Oh my gosh!" she squeals happily, "Are you Beck?"

I nod, and she pulls me into the room, closing the door behind us.

"Jade!" she calls out.

"Cat, I'm reading," Jade says, standing up from her spot in the corner of the room.

"What did I tell you about interrupting me when," she stops when she notices me standing there.

"Holy shit, you actually came," she says, the surprise on her face breaking into a small smile.

"I told you I would," I say, leaving my arms drooping at my sides.

Cat steps out of the room, once again closing the door behind her, as she leaves Jade and I to talk.

"I had my doubts," she admits, stepping in front of me.

I wrap my arms around her in a hug, to which she hugs back, burying her face in my shoulder.

"Thanks for coming," she tells me, pulling away seconds after.

"It's no problem," I tell her, because it wasn't, "is this your room?"

"Beautiful isn't it," she says sarcastically.

"It's not that bad. Do you share it with that redheaded girl?" I ask, fixing my schoolbag.

Jade smiles and gives a little laugh, "yeah, and her name's Cat."

"Like the animal?"

"Exactly."

"Wow. That's cool," I comment.

She grabs my hand and opens the door, leading me to that lady.

"Susan, are there any free rooms?"

Susan eyes us up and down.

"Susan, eyes up here; I just want to show him around."

"The kids' game room is free, they're mostly all napping."

"K," Jade replies, leading me through another room and closing the door.

This room is slightly bigger than Jade and Cat's, and there are no chairs.

Still holding onto my hand she leads me over to the mat in the corner of the room, next to the one tiny window.

Letting go of my hand she sits on the mat, and I do the same.

"What's in your bag?"

"Just school stuff… homework and such," I reply, shrugging the bag from my shoulders.

She takes it from my hands and unzips it, and starts looking through my stuff.

She pulls out my pencil case and sees the unicorn eraser Tori gave me as a gag gift.

"Really?" she asks me, raising an eyebrow.

"I got it from a friend. You can have it."

She narrows her eyes but puts it in her pocket anyways, "I'm giving it to Cat for her birthday."

I smile, "she seems nice."

"Oh she is," Jade answers practically instantly.

"When's her birthday?"

"Tomorrow," she replies nonchantly.

"Cool. So are you guys doing anything to celebrate?"

She shakes her head.

"I have an idea."

"Which is," she asks, not bothering to look up and continuing to look through his notes.

"I'll bring my friends over and we'll all go somewhere fun, like… the zoo!"

She looks up, and examines the look my face, which by the way is just excited.

"The Zoo… yeah, I'm game for that."

"Have you ever been?"

"Nope," she answers, popping the 'p'.

"Well then, it'll be even more fun," I tell her and she looks at me cautiously.

She puts everything back into my bag and hands it back to me.

I pull my phone from the front pocket and realize that I should be getting home.

"I should be getting home," I tell her reluctantly, standing up.

"So, you'll come tomorrow?"

"Yup, right after school. Just like today."

She walks me to the front area and bids me farewell.

"Don't tell Cat about tomorrow," I call back.

She nods and then walks back to her room, and I start walking home while texting Tori and Andre about Cat's birthday trip to the zoo.


	3. A Birthday Trip To The Zoo

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious. A very clever man named Dan Schneider does.**_

* * *

_**Beck's POV:**_

"Hey, ready for the trip to the zoo?" I ask Tori, as we take my shortcut to the foster home.

"Yeah, but why are we doing this again?" she asks.

"We're taking Jade and Cat to the zoo because we are good people and it's Cat's birthday. This is gonna be their first trip to the zoo!"

"Seriously?" Tori asks.

I nod and pick up my pace.

"Hey, slow down!" she yells while attempting to catch up.

* * *

Andre meets us there with his car.

"Just follow me," I tell them, as we walk to the end of the hall to Jade and Cat's room.

This time the door's open and Cat's sitting with her legs hanging off of Jade's bottom bunk, Jade's on her knees on the bed behind her, braiding Cat's hair.

I usher my friends inside and close the door behind us.

"Hi Beck!" Cat calls out, waving and bouncing up and down.

"Cat, move one more time and I will pull all of your red velvet hair out," Jade practically growls.

Cat stops bouncing but continues to talk, "who are you?" she asks, pointing to my friends.

"I'm Andre Harris," Andre says, giving a slight wave.

"My name's Tori Vega," Tori tells her, also giving a wave.

"Done," Jade says after finishing Cat's braid, the bubbly girl runs up to Tori.

They hug and then Cat jumps on Andre, who gladly holds her up and spins her around.

"Happy birthday, girl," he tells her and she tightens her grip on him.

"Happy Birthday," we all chorus.

* * *

_**Minutes later...**_

We all pile into Andre's car.

"One of y'all is gonna have to sit on the other," he tells us.

"Not it," Tori calls out.

"I'm automatically out, it's my birthday," Cat sticks her tongue out from the passenger's seat.

Tori looks over at Jade and I.

Putting on my seatbelt I shrug and Jade climbs onto my lap, she leans back against me and I wrap my arms around her waist, acting as a seatbelt for her.

"Is anybody not ready?" Andre asks.

The car stays silent and with that he pulls out of the driveway and heads for the zoo.

* * *

_**3**__**rd**__** Person POV:**_

The teens get stamped and receive bracelets to prove that they paid.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Cat says for the billionth time.

"Yeah; seriously, you guys rock," Jade tells them graciously, as she grabs Beck's arm and wraps it around her shoulders.

They begin to wonder the zoo, once in a while restraining Cat from attempting to feed the animals.

"Awesome!" Jade yell-whispers as they watch a seal tear apart some fish.

Blood and guts start to fly and Tori and Cat bury their faces in Andre's chest.

Meanwhile Beck hugs Jade closer, squeezing her shoulders and smiling as he watches her face light up.

They keep walking until they come to a road that splits; Koalas on one side and Reptiles on the other.

The gang splits up and Beck and Jade take a walk around the reptile exhibits.

After looking at some snakes they end up in front of a big pond of catfish.

"So, how are you liking your trip to the zoo?"

"It's okay."

"Just okay?"

"Mhmm."

"What can I do to help make this experience better?" he asks her, genuinely wanting for her to be having a fun time.

She wraps her arms around his neck, praying she's actually learned how to do this from reading, and presses her lips to his, tilting her head to the left.

Though surprised, he reciprocates; tilting his head to the right and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her body closer to his.

They only kiss for a few minutes before a security guard rips them apart.

"You two are going to have to leave," he tells them, pointing them in the direction of the entrance / exit.

She grabs his hand and they run until they're out of the zoo area.

They stand beside Andre's car and Beck keeps his poker face while texting the others to meet them outside.

"I'm sorry I did that. It was stupid on my part. You probably hate me," Jade rambles on.

He shakes his head but says nothing.

They wait for the others to show up before getting in the car.

"Thanks again for the bracelet Tori," Cat says, once they're all inside.

"No problem," Tori replies from the backseat next to Jade who's sitting on Beck.

Beck leans forward and whispers in Jade's ear, "I'm not mad at what you did; I just didn't think you liked me that way."


	4. Kisses

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious**_

_**A short ending I'm sorry but I did't want to just leave it hanging.**_

_**Feel free to hate but if you do please direct it to the "comment" (I miss review) :( section. **_

_**Thank you.**_

* * *

"I'm so glad," Jade replies, biting her lip to try to hold back a smile.

He presses his lips to hers and she cups his face in her hands.

They hear the coos from their friends who are watching them, even Andre glances back.

She finally pulls away when air becomes necessary, turning back to face the front of the car.

He tightens his arms around her waist, pressing a gentle kiss to her left temple.

She smiles at this action and rolls her eyes at Tori's cry of, "can we get pictures of the cute couple?"

She turns her head and rests it on her shoulder on a sideways angle for Cat's picture, but kisses Beck's cheek for Tori's.

She's finally accepting the fact that she's got herself a boyfriend.

And who can she thank for that?

Why, his persistence of course!

They're both quite happy with the results.

No more nights spent at the bar for her.


End file.
